Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-11-22
ssyycl5 on Piazza. mt tho soliis in e :

'Iold on, Rags; put the solids in fl,
| er yOu'D smash the tartS.'
A smile passed over each face as IL,
waits loaded their bag with the remains
| OF the meal.
"Ready, RaCs?'
Eyes; let me git my op'ra hat On al
square"
! She arranged her headgear TO suit her,
and followed Bottles to the door.
Thcn-all this brightness turned to
clouds, for n tall, blue clad form, with
| double rows of brass buttons upon the
breast, stood there.
"Come with me- kids said the officer,
! taking hold Of each by the shoulder.
/ you don't mean us? l say, boss,
/ you've got the wrong party. We hain't
done nuthin, have we, Rags
But poor little Rags was crying. The
blue coats had always been the terror OF
her life. She had heard terrible stories
about them. Now, she and Bottles are in
the care of one, and she is ready to drop
in fright.
whats the racket, hoss?" asked Bot
ties. He, too, was trouhlcd; but he must
put on q brave face for the girls sake.
Lifting purse. Come on
And this was the end of the poor little
waits grand dinner. On the way to the
station house with an officer.
curious crowd Of street boys, news
paper vendors, bootblacks and tie Ike
followed the policeman and his two little
prisoners to the station house.
His honor was taking dinner; would not
hold court today, and the two waits were
put into II comfortable cell upstair.;.
Rags cried herself to sleep, while Got
ties, hero like, sat by her side upon tie
cot and kept cheering her up by telling
her that it would be all right in the
morning.
And down stairs, under lock and key,
the unlucky purse and ring were lying in
the desk drawer.
Next"
The two waits, Bottles and Rags, were
pushed forward until they stood in front
of the desk before his honor.
"Bless me! what's tins? Little ones,
what are you doing here?' asked the kind
faced judge, beaming down upon the pair,
through set of gold bowed glasses.
Bottles knew it was not proper for him
to speak, and Rags could not.
"Ofliccr what is the charge against this
pair?n asked the judge of the policeman
who had made the arrest.
stealing purse, your honor"
"Ah! that is n serious charge"
"But, sir, t aiu't'--
Never mind, my little man; your turn
will come. Let the party who made the
complaint stand forward"
? A tall man, clad in clerical garments,
, with long drawn visage, stepped for
} ward. The corners of his trap like
. mouth were drawn down in a
most solemn expression. He clasped
his hands in front of him, and turned
his eyes upon the little waits, as though
even their presence was unholy to Lis
cloth.
; 'YOur nnme|' uttered the judge.
REV. Abraham Clearstarch. ~
Bottles could hardly hold in the litter,
which, Notwithstanding the solemnity OF
, the occasion, was ready to bubble FROM
! his lips.
"You are n minister, are you notS''
/ The reverend gentlemen bowed.
Mr.. Clearstarch, you may state youi
case in rs few words as possible
Yes, sir. Day before yesterday after
noon, purchased ring for my daughter
= put the ring into my purse, and walked
down to India wharf upon business
n Upon returning to ny Eotc! found that
my purse was gone. | rctraced my steps
r but to no avail; could not find m!
|, purge. Yesterday afternoon at dinner il
n the hotel where ! was stopping | say
>; the ring upon the finger of this Girl
:, l recognized the ring, and Eney
n at once that she must know OF til
purse. left the dining room, found ~
d officer and had him make the arrest. III
< girl picked my pocket "
"Sure of that, Mr.. Clearstarch?" askc
T. his honor
T. "5ho must have done so. I ccrtainl
N could not have lost it," responded til
re reverend gentleman.
ii WAS the purse and ring found upo
l. the person of the culprits' asked the judS
of the officer.
Il 1.-The ring was upon the girls finger
IS the purse i'll the boys pocket"
h "lIad cGse. Now, my little man, te
ID your story"
nr "If you please, sir, I'm only 10!
"a rough and all that, SIR l swear sun
I'd times cud-maybe you wouldn't belioy
me. She'll tell you oil bout it. 70
Y. see, she's only little girl what hahn
w got no friend in all the world hut Bottle
ar Bottles is me, sir Rags is her name
II. She never swears and-she never pickc
TO his pockets l know that, cause I'm lie
father. Won see
+, Bottles ha! found his tongue and he d,
III lverud the foregoing III straightforward
way, which made the judge smile goo
Mt naturclly
" Now, Rags, tell it all Don't /
IT. feared The gospel sharp can't hurt us,
m whispered Bottles to the trembling girl h
he his side.
With frequent Gohs aGd choking excl;
". nations Rags told her story. which yc
n already know. She also told how GOO
=. Bottles had been to Ecr; how lie had Ofte
gone without anything 10 cat so that 81
RI. should have food. In ell, she gave u faitl
fl picture Of the peculiar life whic
surrounded the pair. The judge was a
sured OF her truth, and after she ha
ceased, lie said:
ITS evident that the girl has told VIII;
Is true. Is there any one in the room a
qua!rtcd with the pair A sleek, fa
jolly looking man stepped forward ut
said:
II know them, your honor. l keep
butcher shop down in South street.
newsboy came and told me last night TIL
Bottles and Rags had been arrested. iOl
honor, stand here 20 say, from the b0
tom of my heart, that ! know both
them to be honest, square and uprigh
E They are unfortunate children of q
street who make an honest living.
hope your honor won't be hard on the tv
E,+lo